A Parisian in Paris. Contemporary Works for Guitar.

Naxos first featured the brilliant guitarist Gabriel Bianco in its Laureate Series, as winner of the 2008 Guitar Foundation of America Competition (8.572306). That debut album soon became widely admired and received the recognition of an American Record Guide ‘Critic’s Choice’. Also the recipient of numerous European awards, Bianco is considered one of the finest classical guitarists of his generation. He’s also a keen collaborator with composers; almost all of the 21st-century works featured in this programme are dedicated to him and were premiered by him.


This album presents a diverse selection of world premieres commissioned by the award-winning guitarist, Gabriel Bianco, from composers who have lived and worked in his native Paris. These range from the swirling Spanish motifs in Matthieu Stefanelli’s Ellipsis for four guitars, featuring the Quatuor Éclisses, to Camille Pépin’s hypnotic Autumn Rhythm and Thomas Viloteau’s festive A Night in Bastille – just a few of the highlights in this programme of new guitar music from the City of Light.

Listen to an extract from Jules Matton's Guitar Sonata:
I. Très vite
About the Artists

French guitarist Gabriel Bianco has performed in over 50 countries around the world. He is the winner of many awards, including First Prize at both the 2008 Guitar Foundation of America Competition and the 2007 Koblenz International Guitar Competition. As a pedagogue, he has given masterclasses at the Royal College of Music in London, the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and the Manhattan School of Music in New York. He is currently a professor and head of the guitar department at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.

Quatuor Éclisses invites audiences to rediscover classical guitar through ambitious and innovative arrangements. The ensemble won First Prize at the 2013 FNAPEC European Chamber Music Competition, and the following year received an award from the Banque Populaire Foundation. It is also committed to expanding the repertoire for guitar quartet by championing works by contemporary composers. Quatuor Éclisses has performed throughout France and in the United States, Mexico, Colombia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Switzerland and Germany.

From left to right: Gabriel Bianco, Arkaïtz Chambonnet, Pierre Lelièvre, Benjamin Valette

Other recent recordings of guitar recitals
8.574578
‘A sign of the esteem in which these [dedicatee] young players are held is the presence of the legendary, octogenarian Cuban composer Leo Brouwer, whose The Circle Game (After Margaret Atwood) is beautifully recorded ... Even the quietest passages have an absolute clarity that is a credit to both the players and the producer, Norbert Kraft.’
AllMusic.com ★★★★
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‘This disc is a masterful recording, both musically and technically. It reflects not only innate capacity, but also the dedication of a musician who, at the age of 17, is able to perform to world-class standards. In all aspects, this is an excellent and enjoyable recording.’
MusicWeb International
8.574541
‘Dimitrov-Jojo’s playing is … understated and nuanced, with constant attention to dynamic contrasts and song-like phrasing. A warm recorded guitar tone, thanks to engineer Norbert Kraft, complements his delivery … This is simply beautiful playing.’
American Record Guide
8.579103
‘Della Chiara’s performance of the Sardana Chigiana is particularly fine, robust where it needs to be, but full of subtlety too. It is one of the best performances I can remember hearing.’
MusicWeb international


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